Christmas With Tony
by KRiSTiNEDAHLiNG
Summary: A little TATE for the holidays...Kate goes home with Tony for Christmas and meets the DiNozzos...
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: If I owned NCIS Tony and Kate would have gotten together sooner...and she wouldn't have been killed.

A/N: I don't know if this is fic is that great or not. This is my first attempt at a NCIS story. It's AU because Kate is dead and Ziva doesn't exist. I hope that you like it. Oh and Tony isn't an only child and he was always sort of dramatic about his childhood when in fact it was pretty normal.

Tony watched as she turned off her computer and prepared to leave. He couldn't help but smile when he saw her pull a long strand of her beautiful chestnut brown hair out of her face. He wondered if he was blushing. Lately he had been thinking all sorts of inappropriate things about Kate Todd. When he had told his sister about all of these thoughts she had told him that his thoughts weren't inappropriate they were just a little more mature than he was used to. That was three nights ago. Now whenever he saw he wondered if she was making him more mature. That was a feat in itself.

That same night his sister had asked if he was bringing anyone home for Christmas this year. To this question he simply scoffed as if it was one that didn't deserve an answer. Her reply was for him to ask Kate to come up with him. At first the sheer thought of asking Kate Todd to come home with him seemed absolutely insane. She was probably going to be visiting her parents' this Christmas. Even if she wasn't, she would never agree to go with him. She thought that he was a macho, immature, obnoxious, egotistical pig who would never grow up.

He watched as she got out of her chair and started for the elevator. He watched as she turned back around to turn off her lamp. He got up from his chair. He opened his mouth and he called her name. "Kate!"

Kate Todd spun around to see who it was that had called her name. She rolled her eyes when she saw that it was Tony. He was probably going to try to sneak in one more obnoxious comment before the day was over. She walked over to his desk and looked at him as if he was taking up her precious time. "Yes Tony?"

Tony took a deep breath. This wasn't so hard. He just had to open his mouth and ask her if she wanted to come home with him for Christmas. That was a simple enough question. Right? He sighed. He opened his mouth and squeaked. "You doing anything for Christmas?"

"What?"

"I asked if you were doing anything for Christmas." He clarified, his voice now back to normal.

"Oh um no. My parent's are going to be in California with my "perfect" sister and her "perfect" husband. I was invited to come out but I declined. Something about all that perfection just makes me want to barf."

Tony couldn't help but smile at the way she said perfect. Every time she uttered the words she looked as if she couldn't be more disgusted if she tried. "Oh well I was thinking that maybe if you uh wanted to uh you could uh come home with uh me. My family is holding this big thing they have every year. I thought maybe you would like to uh join me."

"Well uh what kind of a thing?" she asked a bit timidly.

Tony looked down at his feet and then back up at her. It was the first time in his life he wasn't able to simply charm the pants off of a girl. "Well I guess it's a party. My whole family will be there and so will a few close friends. It's nothing exactly special. Cocktail attire you know. I um actually sort of hate going to them...my mother has a tendency to push me onto one of her friend's daughters. I thought maybe you wouldn't mind coming and sort of making it appear as though I am involved with someone respectable."

Kate touched her cheek wondering if she was blushing. This was the first time a guy had ever asked her to come home with him for a holiday. She had always thought this day would come but never in a million years did she think it would be Tony who asked her. Then again it seemed as though he just wanted to keep his mother off of his back. She knew that she should say no but she couldn't. There was this little thing between her and Tony. Lately she wondered if their "thing" could ever become something more than a flirtatious relationship. She knew that this would be her chance to test the waters. "Okay. I'd love to go with you. When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning at around 8. I want to get on the freeway before traffic gets out of control. So I could come and grab you in the morning at your place." Tony was jumping around like a kid that had just ingested a five pounds of sugar on the inside. Never in a million years did he think that she would say yes.

Kate nodded. "That sounds fine. What should one pack for this trip?"

"An outfit for the evening, an outfit for the afternoon, and an outfit for the morning should be all you need." Tony smiled at her.

Kate smiled back at him. "Okay well then I guess I'll see you at 8 tomorrow morning."

Tony simply nodded and watched as she walked towards the elevator. Just before she got on she turned around and waved goodbye. He mentally took a picture of that moment. If things never happened between them he would at least always be able to remember that wave.

As soon as Kate got to her apartment she picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. It only took the person two rings to pick up.

Abby was busy drinking Caff-Pow and reading US Weekly when her phone rang. As soon as she read the caller ID and saw that it was Kate calling she answered the phone. "So what were you and Tony talking about so intently today?"

Kate laughed. She should have known that the conversation with Tony would not really be a surprise to Abby. Somehow Abby always knew what was going on before anyone else was really willing to say that there was anything going on. "He invited me to his parents' house for Christmas."

"Whoa...Have you two been secretly dating or something and I somehow just didn't realize it?" Abby had suddenly found Kate's love life much more interesting than Angelina Jolie's.

Kate chuckled. "No. How could we get that past you? Still seriously he wants me to be there so that his mother will stop setting him up with random girls."

"Is that what he told you?"

"Yes. Why?"

Abby took a long sip of her Caff-Pow before answering. "Well it just seems that he could get any girl to do that. I mean come on he's Tony DiNozzo. He's rich. He's charming. He's not especially ugly. Actually most normal girls would consider him to be quote unquote smoking. Why would he specifically choose you? Most of the time it seems as though you two don't really like each other. Even though I know that it is simply your way of flirting. It seems as though Tony has a little thing for you. A little thing that he didn't want to flat out admit to. Seeing as you called me as soon as you got home it seems as though you have a thing for him also. I predict a certain love connection this weekend."

"Abby our relationship is nothing more than platonic. Plus I only called you right away so that you wouldn't give me the silent treatment for a week because you weren't the first to know." Kate attempted to make her friend believe her reasons.

Abby scoffed. "Your relationship with Tony is about as platonic as Brad and Angelina's."

"Well I should start packing. I'll call you when I return with all the details."

Abby smiled at the realization that Kate couldn't fight any longer. She knew what Abby was saying was true. "I"ll be expecting it...Oh and wear the green cocktail dress. Not only is it seasonal it will really look great with Tony's eyes."

Kate sighed. "Bye Abby."

"Bye Kate." Abby was grinning from ear to ear when she hung up the phone. As soon as she hung up the phone with Kate, McGee walked in with Chinese in one hand and a copy of Empire Records in the other hand. "You'll never believe who is going home with Tony for Christmas..."

If you liked it or had a critique please review...


	2. Chapter Two

1Kate sat next to Tony silently wondering whether or not she should try to strike up a conversation. They had been driving for nearly an hour and a half and neither one of them had said a single word to the other since leaving Virginia. She quietly noted that he looked absolutely amazing in his green turtleneck sweater. God he could make them look good. She silently came to the conclusion that if there was ever a need for a turtleneck sweater model in the world Tony would be set for life. Oh what was she doing. Why was thinking about him this way? This was Tony. The guy who she was sure would never grow up. Still he was Tony one of the hottest agents she had ever met. Plus he made her laugh. He made her feel alive. She loved that he wasn't always so serious. She looked over at him and realized that he was singing along to the radio. He was quiet but you could still hear him. She cleared her throat a little. She had to say something. The silence was killing her."So what was it like growing up in Greenwich, Connecticut?"

Tony was busy focusing on the song and made the sign to just let him finish this one part and then he would answer he question. "Shot through the heart, and your to pay, darling you give love a bad name." He sort blushed at the realization that he had just sung along to a Bon Jovi song in front of Kate Todd. "Sorry about that. I have a thing for Bon Jovi. My sister says that if your from New England then your born a Bon Jovi fan. She says that we have more predominantly 80s stations than anywhere else." He stopped talking when he realized that he must be rambling. Why was he so nervous? This was just Kate. The same Kate he flirted with at work. The same Kate he threw paper clips at when she was trying to talk on the phone. Still there was something different now about how things felt. He realized that he was falling hard for Kate. Or if he wasn't falling then he had already hit rock bottom. "Sorry about the rambling. Well anyway Greenwich. You know I didn't really grow up here. My parents moved her a few years after I went to college. My mother has her masters in creative writing and her Ph.D. in history. Her and my father decided to move here after my father retired because she felt like it was a place rich in history. I mostly just go up for the usual family get together. It's beautiful though."

Kate was a little surprised that he had a sister. From the way Tony acted she would have thought that he was an only child. "You have a sister?"

"Yes I have a sister. She's five years older than me. She has two kids a seventeen year old boy named Robbie, who everyone says is the spitting image of me, and a sixteen year old girl named Mimi, who is definitely going to be a politician one day." Tony smiled when he thought of his niece and nephew. They were his favorite two people in the world. He would do anything for either one of them. Anything at all.

Kate silently did the math in her head. "I totally won the bet with Abby."

"What bet?" Tony asked already knowing that he probably didn't want to know the answer.

"Well on the day of your last birthday you refused to tell anyone how old you were. So Abby and I made this bet. She said that you were twenty eight, but I went thirty. I know I'm right so don't even go trying to deny it." Kate smiled at him triumphantly. Then she smiled even brighter realizing that he didn't look as old as he was.

Tony looked at her shocked. "Oh come on Kate you can't tell people how old I am..."

"Why not?" Kate asked with a sinister smile. This is what she was used to. She liked torturing him and making him squirm.

"Because it is embarrassing being thirty years old and not married. Believe me I got enough of it from my mother and sister. I'll tell you what I'll tell you a little secret if you don't tell anyone."

"How do I know if this is going to be a good secret or not?" Kate asked even though she already knew it would be. Tony always had good secrets. Like the time he told her about the night janitor that blares Aretha Franklin's song Respect while he cleans the bathroom.

Tony licked his lips. "Fine I'll tell you why my parents cut me off."

"Seriously?"

Tony nodded as he spoke. "Seriously."

"Fine I won't tell but this better be one good story." Kate motioned for him to get on with it.

Tony licked his lips. "The week after my twenty first birthday has always been sort of a blur for me. Well one night I went to the bar with a bunch of my buddies and I got drunk...actually I got super drunk...well anyway this blonde came up to me and was hitting on me. Little did I know that said blonde knew me. So one thing lead to another and we went back to her place. I leave in the middle of the night as if nothing had ever transpired between us. Fast forward three months I go home for Christmas only to find out that I had slept with my cousin's fiancé. From the moment I walk in the place I think I recognize her. So right before we are about to sit down at the table I walk up to her and say "Don't I know you from somewhere. I think we may have slept together once." Well my cousin overhears us and basically threatens to kill me. My mother still says it was the worst Christmas...ever. That means it beats the one where my Aunt went into labor just as my uncle was cutting the turkey. The whole thing ended up causing this huge family feud pitting my father against his sister Rosa, said cousin's mother. In the end my father came to the conclusion that the only way to calm things down was to cut me off so he told me that if I was going to be irresponsible then I didn't deserve my trust fund. So until I settle down and in my father's words act as if I've lived life I won't get a single red cent."

Kate looked at him in shock. "You seriously slept with your cousin's fiancé?"

"Well I didn't know it at the time. Still what was really weird is that she knew me. She knew that I was Michael's cousin." Tony shook his head in disgust. "She was a beautiful girl but I don't think she was all there if you ask me."

Kate couldn't help but laugh. "So did they still get married?"

"Michael and Vanessa?"

"No Sonny and Cher. Yes Michael and Vanessa."

Tony shrugged and shook his head. "No, and if you thought that was crazy then get ready for this story. So in the end Michael forgives me and I end up being his best man in his wedding. Well anyway it's the rehearsal dinner and we are sitting there just enjoying ourselves, reminiscing and such. Well for like eight months now my Uncle Giovanni says every time he sees her that he knows her from somewhere. Well nobody believes him because Giovanni is a bit out of it. He's on enough pills to fund his own personal pharmacy. Well anyway at the rehearsal dinner he stands up randomly and we all think he is going to give a toast or something. Instead he blurts out in front of say two hundred people "I feel no where I recognize you from. You used to work at The Temptress." Well The Temptress is a well known strip club down on the Jersey shore and it is also a place that my uncle used to visit quite often. So my Aunt Rosa, stands up and says "Is this true Michael are you marrying some ex-stripper. Oh I thought it was bad enough when she slept with Tony, but now I found out she's a stripper also. If you marry this girl then I'll cut you off." So Michael broke the whole thing off. He got married a couple of years later to a lawyer named Janice and they have a son."

"You have got to be making that up. I mean come on that is like the craziest thing I've ever heard." Kate replied. "That sounds like something straight from a bad soap opera wedding."

"I wish I was. Whenever the incident comes up which is does at the most random moments mostly when someone is really drunk, it's referred to as Michael's mistake and you don't say it you whisper it. If you were to actually say it in a regular voice I think it would actually cause the world to stop spinning." Tony said in a joking voice. Though he was completely serious about the whisper thing. His mother was the type of woman who still whispered words like cancer and gay.

Kate looked out the window and then looked back at him. "Your family sounds interesting to say the least."

"What your family doesn't have embarrassing stories like that?"

Kate scoffed. "Nothing that compares to that. It was basically my parents, my sister, and I growing up. That's it. No big family get togethers. Perfect cookie cutter American lives. Very suburban and middle class."

"You know I think my favorite thing about growing up rich is the shit that happens. Really growing up was sort of like a bad soap opera when you think about it. Three years ago my cousin came out at Easter. He copied that scene from Steel Magnolias and told his parents that he was dying of a brain tumor. My Aunt Rosa started to sob and said "Are you sure?". Johnny laughs and shakes his head. "Actually no I'm not dying I'm just gay." To this my Aunt asked God very loudly in Italian "Why he was cursing her with such dysfunctional children." Weird stuff is always going on with my family. I think it's because there are so many members. My father had two sisters Rosa and Antonia. Both of them got married and had three kids. All together I have six cousins on my father's side alone. That's the side that gets together for holidays. If I were you I would get ready for mayhem because something crazy is going to happen tonight. Something crazy always happens around Christmas. It wouldn't be Christmas if there wasn't at least a drunken brawl."

Kate looked out the window and gasped when she saw the sign that said fifteen miles to Greenwich. She didn't realize how quickly time had gone by. "We're pretty close aren't we?"

"Actually we're closer than you think because I know a short cut that'll get us there in about ten minutes or so. Don't be nervous Katie."

"Who said I was nervous?" she asked as if it was the most preposterous thing she had ever heard. "Nobody said it. It's more like your voice revealed it."

"You never told me anything about your sister or your parents. How will I know which ones they are?" she didn't bother trying to fight with him. She knew he was right. They both knew it.

Tony took a deep breath and sort of sat there quietly trying to think of something that will set his parents apart. "My mother will be a chubby Italian woman, who will remind you of the woman on the Marie Callander box. She'll come up to us replying my bambino, my bambino, it's been forever over and over again. She'll also be the woman who loses complete interest in me as soon as she sees you. My father will be a tall dark haired man who looks a lot like me except with classes who will more than likely be reading the Economist when we come in. He'll also probably be the only sober old man in the room. My sister Angela, well she has glasses and she also has really long dark wavy hair, plus she'll probably look as if she is in dire need of aspirin. She'll come up to us complaining about something or other and then she two will lose interest in me and will more than likely hug you and say it's great that we are finally get to meet one another. Oh and she may have a chubby blonde girl right on her six that's my cousin Sylvia. She'll ask you a million questions the smartest thing to do is to answer her questions with a question."

"So many directions for a simple family introduction." Kate said quietly. She looked like she was in too deep. Like she was getting sucked under by quick sand.

Tony placed his hand over and gently squeezed it. "Don't worry you'll do fine."

Kate closed her eyes and kept processing the information he had given her. When she opened them again they were sitting in the driveway of what she assumed was his parent's house. "Wow..." was all she could say.

Tony laughed. "Wait till you see the inside..."

Sorry it took so long to update. It takes me a while to find the direction I want to go in. I hope you like this. Please review. Your reviews make me feel awful which in turn forces me to work on stories until I like them enough to post the update. Thank you for reading. Oh and in the next chapter you'll see just how crazy the DiNozzos are.


	3. Chapter Three

"Are you an idiot!" Angela's angry words bounced off the walls of the kitchen. She was on the verge of choking her cousin Sylvia. Today had started out amazing and then stupid Sylvia had to go and ruin it with one stupid phone call. Angela started to rifle through the kitchen cabinets.

Caprice shook her head. "I removed all the liquor after James and Roman got drunk last Thanksgiving." Caprice then turned her attention back to Sylvia. "Wait so please explain this situation to me again. I really need you to explain how this happened again."

Sylvia took a deep breath and then explained the current situation for the fourth time this morning. "Well I was packing my bag this morning when my phone rang. I answered and it just happened to be Adrianna. She explained that she had recently gotten divorced and that she had nothing to do for Christmas. Well I don't know but I just I ended up inviting her to join me. I mean I remembered how much we all used to love her when she used to come to family gatherings—"

Angela who had been quietly seething in the corner interrupted her best friend. "That was before she dumped Tony just because he wasn't going to be able to go pro anymore!"

Sylvia sighed. She looked down at her hands before continuing. She was actually surprised that the only person screaming at her was Angela. Then again every once in a while she heard her Aunt Caprice whispering things in Italian that Sylvia probably didn't want to hear. "So to make a long story short she called me on her way to the airport. Her plane will be arriving in an hour and seventeen minutes."

Caprice sighed. "So Tony is on his way here from Virginia with his new girlfriend, who just happens to be the first girl he's introduced us to since that whore you invited here Adrianna. What the hell are we supposed to do?"

"I guess Sylvia and I will go to the airport and pick the dumb divorced whore up. You, mother, will get the horrid task of explaining to Tony that his ex-fiancée is on her way here more than likely to try and sink he claws back into him. Though I do have to wonder why the professional football player she traded our brother in for divorced. Whatever we do we can't let Tony fall for her again. Sylvia go get your purse I'll be waiting for you in the car." This was Angela's role. She fixed problems. She hated her role but she was good at it. She made a note to kick Sylvia's ass as soon as the holidays were over.

Caprice watched as her daughter and niece left. She made the sign of the cross and said a quick prayer. She was going to have to have God on her side if things were going to work out the way she wanted them to today. "Mimi, I know you are standing outside the kitchen door eavesdropping so just go ahead and join your grandmother in the kitchen."

Mimi Capriccio was short and chubby. She was the kind of girl that looked like her biggest aspiration in life was to be a mother. She walked into the kitchen slowly and bashfully. Her grandmother was the kind of woman who always knew when someone was eavesdropping. "Uncle Tony is not going to like this…"

Caprice just laughed. "No he is not. So what do you know about this Kate Todd?"

"Mom just told me that she works with Uncle Tony and that he's liked her for a while." Mimi was just as curious as her grandmother. She remembered when she called Adrianna her Aunt. Now the name made her cringe. "I really hope this Kate Todd is amazing enough to make him forget all about Adrianna."

Tony knew that there was something wrong as soon as he got out of the car. Normally his mother would already be standing on the front porch waiting for him to arrive. She would be sitting in this old rocking chair just waiting for him. Today was the kind of the day that his mother lived for. She had been trying to set him up with someone for years. Now he finally had brought home a suitable girl that he thought he could be in love with and instead of rushing out to meet them she was nowhere to be seen. He acted as if her lack of interest didn't bother him. He walked up to the house without saying a word to Kate.

Robbie walked out of the house and onto the front porch. He waved at his uncle. "Hey Uncle Tony it's about time!"

Kate smiled. Tony had been right. His nephew looked just like him. Same strong jaw, same height, same mussed hair, and of course the same cute smile that made his face light up. She could tell that he was a heart breaker.

Tony gave his nephew a hug. "Why do I fee as though your mother is presently fixing a problem?"

"You really think I'm going to be the one to spill the beans about the current heated situation. I am not going to risk my mother's wrath. Grandma is in the kitchen waiting for you." Robbie replied as he took bags from his uncle and then carried them upstairs.

Tony turned around and smiled at Kate. "Get ready to be squeezed like you've never been squeezed before. My mother is a hugger. Oh and if she goes from Italian to English to back to Italian don't worry it's just a bad habit of hers." Tony put his arm around her shoulder and led her to the kitchen.

Caprice DiNozzo may have been a little distracted by the current situation. Still she was not too distracted to squeal when her son entered the room. "Oh my bambino it's been too long! Oh you are too thin. Still enough about you let me see this girl." Caprice sort of pushed her son out of the way after planting a big red kiss on his forehead which he was not trying to rub off. "Oh you must be the beautiful Kate Todd I've heard so much about." Caprice replied as she enveloped the young woman in a hug.

Tony was right. Caprice definitely looked just like Marie Callender. He was also right about the fact that she was a squeezer. She was very beautiful. You could tell though that even though she was excited to see them she was a little nervous. There was this look in her eyes that said she was worried about something. "It's very nice to meet you. I've been told you make Martha Stewart's cooking seem like bad cafeteria food. I've been dying to try some of your Alfredo sauce." Kate said with a smile.

Mimi entered the kitchen through the backdoor. Her face lit up as soon as she saw her Uncle. "Uncle Tony!"

Tony hugged his niece and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Oh if it isn't my favorite and most beautiful niece what have you been up to?"

"Well actually I was getting the guest bedroom ready for you and Kate. So I thought if you didn't mind I would show Kate around the house." Mimi told him sweetly. She had practiced this little speech with grandma.

Kate smiled. "That sounds like a marvelous idea with me."

Mimi grabbed Kate's hand and led her out of the kitchen. She already could tell that Kate was different than the woman that her uncle usually dated. She was poised. She was sophisticated. She was special. "So tell me all about yourself Kate. Do you even mind if I call you Kate or should I call you Miss Todd?"

Caprice sighed as soon as Kate and Mimi left the kitchen. She didn't know how to say this to her son. "Tony have a seat I've got something to tell you."

"I knew this was coming. I knew there was a reason you weren't waiting for me on the front porch." Tony said as shook his head and took a seat at the kitchen table. He knew he didn't want to have to hear what she was about to say.

"Tony, Angela and Sylvia went to the airport to pick up Adrianna. She's coming for Christmas dinner. Sylvia stupidly invited her this morning." Caprice explained and then she watched as her son's face changed.

Tony let out a confused laugh that said that he was pretty sure she was kidding. "Are you kidding me? Adrianna's married to the San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback. Why in the world would she venture halfway across the country to spend Christmas with us?"

"She's divorced. I think she thinks there is still something there between the two of you." Caprice replied softly. She patted his hand. "Sylvia didn't know about Kate. She's going to fix this. Don't worry Tony. Your sister is probably going to kill her before the Christmas season is over."

Tony nodded. "Kate is so much better than Adrianna. She may not be Italian but she's so much smarter. She makes me laugh so hard. I think you'll really love her." Tony paused and took a deep breath. "I've never told anybody Adrianna or about college. Kate has no idea. You've got to protect her Ma. She's not ready to go up against a bitch like Adrianna."

Caprice smiled. "You don't know how happy I am to hear that you aren't interested in Adrianna anymore. I realize you really loved her. I realize you really felt like there was something there and she was your "one". Angela told me you're really into Kate. Stay that way. If I were I would drive the point home. I would really put Adrianna in her place for breaking your engagement and your heart when you blew your knee." Caprice kissed her son's forehead again. She loved him so much. "Now go on and find Kate. Tell her before your sister and your cousin get here. Oh and tell your bum of a father and your lazy cousins and uncles that they better be ready for dinner in an hour none of this the games on. Oh and make sure you meet your Cousin Johnny's new boyfriend Shawn. He's such a sweetheart."

Tony laughed. He loved his mother. She was crazy. He found Kate and Mimi in his mother's library. "Hey Mimi do me a favor and see if Aunt Rosa wouldn't mind ironing my dress shirt. I know she's up there ironing all of the other guys. Tell her I'll buy her a fine bottle of wine if she'll do it for me."

Kate just shook her head. "You can't iron your own shirt?"

"My Aunt Rosa loves to iron. I'm telling you if she had it her way she would own her own dry cleaning place." Tony joked. He knew he couldn't beat around the bush. "So my mother told me something that sort of complicates things."

"What?" Kate asked. She didn't like it when Tony was serious. It made her nervous. She smiled when he licked his lips. God he had such sexy lips. What she would do to plant a kiss on those lips. What was she saying? This was Tony. She just had to keep reminding herself that his was Tony. Tony the guy who threw paper clips at her and could get any girl he wanted. Not Tony the guy who wanted to make out with her.

"I used to play football for Ohio State. I was good, really good and for once I'm not being egotistical. I had a chance to go pro. My senior year we were playing in our last regular season game before bowl season started and we were running this trick play. I was a tight end. I don't know how it happened. I don't really remember but next thing I know I wake up and I'm in a hospital bed and my knee is swollen and there are doctors talking and my mom is crying. My football career was over. By the time my knee had healed I was yesterday's news. I went into law enforcement. At the time I had a fiancée. We'd been dating since high school. She dumped me. She ended up marrying a guy who plays for the San Francisco 49ers as a backup quarterback. He divorced her and she's on her way here. I guess I don't really know why she's coming but she is." He stopped talking. He pretended to be interested by one of his mother's books. He couldn't believe he had just told Kate the saddest story of his life. Long ago he promised himself he would never bring up the fact that football broke his heart and screwed his knee.

Kate lightly touched his arm and forced him to face her. "I hate this girl already."

Tony looked at her surprised.

"I think we're going to have to make this girl regret passing up a chance to spend the rest of her life with an Italian Stallion like you." Kate joked. Then she did something really shocking. So shocking she couldn't believe she had done it. She lightly kissed Tony. "I think she'll need to see a lot of those."

Tony just looked at her. He couldn't form words or thoughts for that matter. Kate was definitely full of surprises. He was looking forward to more of those light kisses.


	4. Chapter Four

Adrianna Luciano reapplied her lip gloss and checked to make sure that her makeup as she sat in the backseat of Angela's Volvo. Neither Angela nor Sylvia had even attempted to start up a conversation with her. She wasn't surprised at their icy demeanors. Sylvia and Angela had always fancied themselves Tony's protectors. They felt that they had failed him when she returned her ring and called off the engagement. She smiled as she thought of Tony. Her smile soon turned to a frown though when she thought of the look on his face as she gave him back the ring. That had been so long ago. She had been so foolish. She looked at the two other people in the vehicle and sighed. One day they would trust her again. She would make them see that she still loved Tony and that he still felt the same way about her.

Angela was silently seething. She was struggling to understand what she had even seen as a redeemable quality in Adrianna. Sure she was pretty, but in an I'm overly dependent on makeup kind of way. Her hair was too big, and reminded her too much of a Jersey mallrat. She couldn't believe that once upon a time she had been excited that this girl was going to be her sister in law. She knew she should have warned Adrianna about the fact that Kate Todd was spending Christmas with their family. Still even though she knew it was right that didn't stop her from pursing her lips and smiling as she turned onto her families' street.

Abby was busy watching yesterdays episode of General Hospital when her phone started to ring. She cursed the caller and then pressed the pause button on her VCR remote control. "Hello?"

Kate smiled. It was the first time that Abby didn't automatically answer the phone as if she knew who was on the line. "Abby I see our psychic skills aren't what they once were." She joked.

"My psychic abilities are just fine. It's more like I was caught up in yesterday's episode of General Hospital and didn't take time to decipher who was on the other line. Still, that doesn't matter right now. Tell me all about everything. I want all the details." Abby pressed her friend. She had been waiting for this call. Discussing Kate and Tony's relationship was way better than General Hospital at the moment.

"There isn't enough time to tell you about everything. I'll just give you the cliff note version right now."

Abby gasped. "What do you mean there isn't enough time? I've been dying for this information Kate. Please don't tease me by telling me half of the story and then leaving the rest for later."

"Dinner is going to be served in about fifteen minutes. Still what I had to tell you was that once upon a time Tony was engaged to marry some girl. She dumped him Abby. Tony "the playboy" DiNozzo had his heartbroken in the worst way in the mid-nineties. Still that isn't the most shocking part. The most shocking part is she's coming to dinner tonight to try and rekindle the flame. It's a long and confusing story so you'll get the rest of the details when we come back in a couple days. Still she doesn't know that I'm here as his date."

"You have got to be kidding me. This is like something straight from General Hospital." Abby was almost on the verge of being speechless. Never in a million years did she think Kate would tell her dirt like this. "More Kate, I need more."

Kate laughed. "I wish I could but I can't. I still need to change into my dress. Before you ask yes I brought the green one."

"I hate you for teasing me like this."

"I'll call you later tonight Abby, I promise." Kate told her best friend.

Abby sighed she couldn't believe Kate was leaving her with such a delicious cliffhanger. "You better or I won't talk to you for like an ENTIRE week."

Kate hung up the phone after being forced to promise to call her not once, but three times. She smiled. She loved Abby. Her friend was somehow always so right. She had been the first one to suggest that there may be something there between Kate and Tony. Kate got up from the bed and looked at herself in the mirror. She was just about to put on the necklace her mother had given her as a graduation present when someone started to knock on the door. She smiled when she realized that it was Tony. "You didn't have to knock Tony. This is your house."

"Well I just didn't want to barge in on you." Tony explained as he made his way across the room to find his tie. He abruptly stopped what he was doing to look at Kate.

The way he was staring at her made her feel awkward. She sort of squirmed a little. "What do I look awful or something?"

Tony looked at her as if she was insane. "Are you kidding me Kate? You look amazing."

Kate started to blush. She knew it wasn't normal for Tony's opinions to mean so much to her. Still they did. She looked at him and smiled. "You don't look too shabby yourself."

"Thanks, I uh wanted to give you something to wear for the evening. I mean you know don't feel like you have to. It's nothing big or anything. Just something I thought would look nice on you." Tony reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small black box. He walked across the room and handed it to Kate.

She opened it slowly. She couldn't believe just how chivalrous Tony was. There were certainly a lot of layers when it came to him. She couldn't believe her eyes when she opened the box. It was a silver necklace with a cross on it. It was the simplest, most beautiful piece of jewelry she had ever seen. "Tony I don't know what to say."

"You should know that when I bought that necklace I was still engaged to Adrianna. I gave it to my mother to hold for me that Christmas. I told her that I didn't want it until I met that special person." Tony explained. He didn't want to lie to her or mislead her.

Kate smiled as she removed the necklace from the box and motioned for him to put it on her. "Well I'm happy you think I deserve to wear this. Thank you for being honest with me." After he finished latching the necklace she fixed his tie and sighed.

Tony opened his mouth to say something but was disrupted by a loud feminine voice instructing Tony to get his NCIS ass downstairs. He looked at Kate and smiled. "It's my sister. You ready to meet the craziest part of my family."

Adrianna watched as Tony made his way down the stairs. She couldn't help but think that he hadn't aged a bit. She missed his grin. She started to walk towards him. Then she stopped. He wasn't alone. There was a girl walking behind him. He was holding her hand. She just stood there shocked.

Angela rushed forward and hugged her baby brother. She kissed him on the forehead. "Oh it's been so long." She then hugged Kate Todd. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Kate. I've heard so many nice things about you. Tony says you're the second best paperclip thrower in the office."

Kate smiled. "It's great to meet you too." Kate couldn't help but think of cinnamon and vanilla as she hugged Angela. "Your kids are just amazing."

Tony smiled. His sister already loved Kate. You could see it in her eyes. "Uh Kate I'd like to introduce you to my cousin Sylvia."

Sylvia smiled sweetly and then hugged Kate. As she hugged her she apologized for inviting Adrianna. "You look amazing. I see Tony's taste has improved with age."

Adrianna looked at Tony and waited for him to make eye contact with her. She stared at him for at least thirty seconds before he looked her way. She smiled softly. "Hi Tony it's been a long time."

"Yeah it has. Adrianna I'd like you to meet someone I consider to be very special this is Kate Todd." He smiled at her in a way that she said don't you regret walking away.

Kate held her hand out for Adrianna to shake it. She gave Adrianna a look that said don't you feel stupid. She didn't say anything to the other woman. She just kept looking at her. .

Adrianna shook Kate's hand. She pretended that she didn't care that Tony had moved on. She knew that all she would have to do is remind Tony that she was his first love. Not only was she his first love she was the woman that he planned on spending the rest of his life with. "It's nice to meet you."

Mimi walked into the foyer and cleared her throat. "Grandma wanted me to tell you that you all better change quickly because dinner is going to be served in ten minutes, which means that prayer starts in six minutes."

Tony smiled. "Well then I guess Kate and I are going to go ahead and take our seats at the dining room table. I am not going to get the crappy seat where you end up with the last of everything. This year I am eating all of the damn mashed potatoes I want. I guess we'll see you at the table." Tony grabbed Kate's hand and led her to the dining room. He looked back over his shoulder and smiled when he realized that Adrianna was fuming. She was trying to pretend that she wasn't mad but she was. "Thank you for that back there. I hope you don't mind that I'm letting people think we're more than just co-workers."

"We are more than co-workers. You're one of my favorite people."

Tony looked at her surprised. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." She smiled at him and then softly kissed him on the cheek.

That was the best I could do. It may not have been my best chapter. I'm telling you I have tried to update this story since I last updated it. I don't want you guys to think that I don't try to update it. I just hit a wall after every chapter. I try to make you guys as happy with it as I am. Thank you for reading and please still review it.


	5. Chapter Five

This took forever to write. I hope you enjoy every word of it or at least half.

"See the couple sitting on Adrianna's left, that is Michael, his wife Janice, and little Mikey their only child." Tony whispered quietly in Kate's ear. He smiled as he watched her face light up. He loved the way she looked when she was amused. It was like the whole world had just taken on a new glow.

Kate sat there for a second with her mouth wide open and then whispered quietly. "Oh my gosh I get why she wanted to sleep with you."

Tony looked at her confused. "Why?"

"Your cousin is cute, really cute. Still he's only cute until a person sees you. He's nowhere as good as looking as you are. You and your sister got the best genes of the group." Kate explained. So far Tony had a very attractive family. The guys were all handsome and in shape. The girls were all cute, not so much gorgeous but cute. All of his family members, at least the younger ones that is, had this quality that made you want to either be best friends with them or date them. She completely understood why a girl like Adrianna fit in so well with the DiNozzos. She looked the like the kind of girl who would be able to complete his family. "Where are your sister, mother, and niece?"

"They are preparing to bring out the food." Tony whispered in her ear. "There are the only three people missing from the dinner table."

Kate nodded. Kate counted twenty four people. That included two uncles, two aunts, his mother, his father, four cousins, one gay boyfriend, two spouses of his cousin's, a brother in law, one niece, one nephew, Adrianna and three second cousins. She couldn't fathom having a family this big. "I bet you can't name all of them."

"What do I get if I do?" Tony loved when Kate challenged him. He almost always won. Actually the only time he ever lost it was in a competition to see who could eat a slice of key lime pie the fastest. She only won because she proceeded to shove the last bit of it in her mouth. She was pretty cute when she was eating like an obnoxious pig.

Kate pursed her lips. "I'll kiss you again if you can do it."

"Who says I want another one of your kisses." Tony pretended to offended by her proposition.

"Go ahead try and name them all. I want you to start with your father and name them from his left." Kate instructed.

"Okay well my father is Anthony DiNozzo Sr., the empty chair between my father and the other man is for my mother Caprice DiNozzo, Uncle Saul Pirelli, Aunt Rosa Pirelli, Uncle Lorenzo Barony, Aunt Rosa Barony, my nephew Robbie DiNozzo, my gay cousin Johnny Pirelli, his boyfriend Douglas O'Brien, Sylvia, yourself, myself, two empty chairs are for my niece Mimi Capriccio and my sister Angela Capriccio, then it's my brother in law Giovanni Capriccio, then it's Adrianna Luciano, Michael Pirelli, Janice Pirelli, Mikey Pirelli, Alana Barony-Michaela, her husband Joseph Michaela, their daughter Maria and their son Joseph and finally sitting in the worst spot possible is none other than the only other single straight guy over twenty five left in my family my cousin Carlo Barony. So I think you owe me that kiss now." Tony couldn't believe he could actually name every last member of his family. It was hard.

Kate nodded. She licked her lips and then slowly kissed him on the lips. They tasted a little bit like butterscotch. She loved the taste of butterscotch.

"Tony could you please cut down on the PDA at the dinner table. I mean seriously first we have food in the mix and then we have children. I mean if we wanted to watch you make out with your girlfriend then we would just watch Alana's wedding video." Michael joked. He groaned as he felt his wife stomp on his foot. He looked up and remembered that Adrianna was sitting at the table. He looked away quickly before making eye contact with her. She had some nerve showing up her tonight.

Tony blushed and cleared his throat. Everyone at the table knew what Michael was alluding to. Back when he was still with Adrianna the two of them had quite the make out session at his cousin's wedding. It was so hot and heavy that the man they paid to make the wedding video got better shots of that than he did anything else.

Janice laughed awkwardly. "Kate please excuse the retard I call my husband he has a tendency to speak without thinking. So Angela told me that you and Tony worked together. We all know the interesting path Tony took to becoming an NCIS agent. What was your route?"

"Actually I was a Secret Service agent for nearly four years I had the honor of working for John McCain. After four years of traveling everywhere with Senator McCain I decided that I was done with Secret Service. That's how I ended up here with Tony. NCIS just sounded good." Kate didn't know what else to say. She knew everyone at the table was listening to her. They wanted the gritty details. They wanted more but there wasn't anything else. She just got tired.

No one had a chance to say anything because as soon as Kate finished the door to the kitchen opened and out came Mimi, Angela, and his mother carrying dishes filled with food. The dining room was filled with an amazing aroma that often made him think of Sicily when he got a whiff of it. It took the three women five total trips to get all of the food out there.

"Do they really expect all of this food to be gone?" Kate asked Tony quietly. She had never seen this many carbs in her entire life. She had a feeling she would be doing cardio for the rest of her life just trying to work off one of the dishes.

Tony laughed. "Of course, this is actually smaller than last years."

Caprice took her seat next to her husband and then sighed. "Tony say grace." She instructed her husband. He always said grace at meals. It was his job as head of the family.

"Lord Jesus Christ, as you blessed many with the five loaves and the two fishes, may we too, know your blessing as we share this food, your peace in our hearts, and your love in our lives. Amen." Anthony DiNozzo Sr. had a deep voice. H rarely talked. When he did talk all of his family paid attention because they figured whatever he was going to say had to be of some importance.

"Just let me do the serving for you okay. I figure some of this stuff is going to seem really strange to you so I'll just serve both of us. Is that okay? Please don't go all Jessie Spano on me." Tony joked. He grabbed the dish sitting in front of him and scooped some of the seafood primavera on both of their plates before passing the dish to his left to his niece Mimi.

Kate didn't bother to protest Tony's offer to serve her. He was right when he said that she wouldn't really recognize most of the dishes. They all looked delicious.

"Michael you better not get anymore Capunidde ch'u Baccalà remember what happened last Christmas Eve. You almost got us thrown out of midnight mass last year!" Alana joked. She loved reminding her older cousin of the most embarrassing evening of his life. If he was going to constantly bring up her ruined wedding video then it was the least she could do to repay the favor.

The whole table erupted with laughter. "At least I didn't almost get us kicked out of the church for good. I think we can all thank Tony for almost getting us ex-communicated." Michael shot back. Eight years ago if anyone brought up Tony and Vanessa hooking up it would send Michael into a rage but now he was able to find humor in the awkward situation.

"Let me guess for the incident with Vanessa right?" Kate guessed. She couldn't help but laugh. Tony was once again turning red. His family had a knack for making him feel awkward.

"Oh I may have almost got our family ex-communicated for sleeping with Vanessa but at least I didn't cause our family to have to pay for the church to buy a new rug because I barfed while in lie to receive the body of Christ!" Tony grinned. He knew that the only reason the church didn't refuse the DiNozzos entrance is because they put hundreds in the basket.

Johnny tossed his napkin down and shook his finger. "I was suffering from a stomach virus but didn't want to skip out on midnight mass. It probably didn't help that you all spiked the cider that year with cheap Puerto Rican rum that year. Let us not forget that Adrianna also threw up in the bushes before we were leaving."

"That is still not as bad as throwing up on the priest's shoes." Adrianna defended. She remembered that Christmas like it was yesterday. That was the last Christmas she ever spent with the DiNozzos. They were so much younger then but still for the most part they were all the same.

Caprice laughed. "Enough, enough we all know that at one point or the other you have all somehow embarrassed us while at church. My son slept with his cousin's fiancé. My son's ex-girlfriend threw up in the church bushes. My nephew barfed on a padre's shoes. My other nephew had such bad gas that there wasn't a seat in the cathedral that could avoid the heinous smell. Still must we bring all of these flaws to the attention of our new and very special guest Kate Todd. Seriously how are we ever going to get this girl to join our family if we make her think that we are all total kooks." Caprice smiled at the younger girl. She was too cute for words. There was this innocent twinkle in her eye. "Kate please tell me that your family is as crazy as we are."

Kate laughed. "Uh no where near as close but there is something extremely refreshing about all of this craziness."

Caprice laughed. "Refreshing huh? I like that. I hope the food isn't a bit too different for you. It's an Italian tradition to eat mostly fish based meals."

"I love it. I mean I've never had Italian that seemed so…realistic. It's all so different and vivid. Every bite seems to be filled with a distinct flavor." Kate assured Tony's mother. She had never tasted a fish sauce that was so delectable.

Caprice smiled at the young girl appreciatively. She loved Kate Todd. This was the first time since Tony was dating Adrianna that Caprice really found herself enjoying the company of one Tony's and she said this word lightly girlfriends. Later on after everyone else was helping to clear the table she pulled her young son aside and whispered every so quietly in his ear. "You better not let her get away Tony."

Tony smiled at his mother and kissed her cheek. "I'll try and stop that from happening."

"I think your sister will kill you if you to ever breakup. Make sure she knows that she seems to be a hit with the family."

Kate was touching up her makeup in the mirror when she heard Tony quietly make his way into the room. She turned around and smiled at him. "Your family is amazing. I don't understand why you keep them hidden from everyone at work."

"Some people don't find our obnoxious humor quite as funny as you do. Still my mother loves you Kate. She hasn't gushed about one of my girlfriends like that since well Adrianna. My mother used to be A's biggest fan." Tony replied as he sat down on the edge of the toilet. He took a moment to appreciate just how beautiful she looked with her hair pushed out of her face so she could fix her makeup properly.

"Tony what would you say if I told you that I might just be falling for you and your family?" Kate asked quietly. She couldn't believe she had actually let those words escape her lips.

Tony stared at her for a moment. Then he stood up and kissed her passionately on the lips. After kissing her for at least a minute he pulled back and stared into her eyes. "I would say that it's good because my family and I have fallen for you and we're not going to let you get away."

Okay so that took for ever to write. I want you to know that I was trying to write this for weeks now. This was the best I could do. I hope you like it. I hope you feel like I didn't skip too many moments. I hope you didn't hate the bet/challenge. I hope you liked this as much as I did. I hope you thought it made sense. I don't know when I'll be able to update again. Just please keep reviewing. I love to read them.


	6. Chapter Six

"I better go ahead and go downstairs before I kiss you again, because if I kiss you again I don't think I'm going to be able to stop just there and we have to be at midnight mass in like thirty minutes." Tony admitted. He softly ran his hand through her hair and then he lightly kissed his forehead. He checked himself in the mirror and fixed his tie a little. "I'll just be downstairs talking to Robbie."

Kate nodded. She watched him leave the room. She sat down on the toilet and fanned herself. Kate had always assumed Tony could kiss. I mean she heard the way girls sounded on his voicemail. Still she never imagined kissing him would leave her so satisfied.

Tony shut the door and sighed. Kissing Kate had left him feeling alive. It was like one kiss with Kate could sum up every happy emotion ever conveyed. He made his way down the hall replaying the entire moment in his head over and over again. He was so caught up in replaying the moment that he almost didn't hear Adrianna call his name. He stopped and turned around. He stood in the doorway to her room. "You called?"

"Uh yeah I did. I was wondering if maybe I could talk to you for a moment." Her voice cracked. She sounded defeated. Her cheeks were stained with mascara. She looked as though someone had just run over her dog.

He started to say no. He started to tell her that he didn't want to waste a minute on her anymore. Still even though he started to say those things he couldn't actually say them. He walked into her room and sat down on the bed beside her. If his sister saw them together she would probably kill him. "Shoot."

Adrianna stared at her hands for a moment and then looked up at him. "I know you were wondering why I came here. I know you were wondering why Ted divorced me. I know you were wondering why I even had the nerve to think of your family as my family still." She stopped and looked at her hands again. She sort of shook them as if trying to shake something off of them. She clenched and unclenched them. "Uh see the thing is I couldn't go home. Tomorrow is that day that everyone in my family just sort of tries to forget even though none of us can. I mean my mother is fine for 358 days of the year but this week rolls around and she just freezes. She falls apart. So do I. I woke up yesterday morning and I couldn't force myself out of bed. I just didn't have the will to move."

"Oh my God I totally forgot tomorrow is the anniversary of Mikey's overdose. God is anniversary even the right word. I doubt it." He found himself remembering that morning as if it was yesterday. The way she sounded when he called her. The way you could hear her mother sobbing in the background demanding to know why Mikey was dead. Mikey had been Adrianna's twin brother, her best friend, and her rock. When he died so did a little part of her.

"I still remember the way my chest burned after I screamed when I found his body. The way his face was so pale. I remember how my mother one day suddenly took the chair that I had found him sitting in outback and she lit it on fire. I remember the way my father had to drag her inside. I remember it all." Adrianna stopped to take a deep ragged breath. "I woke up this morning and I thought that maybe I could come here and for once feel like I was part of something again. I know how it seems. I know what I did. It's just your family is the only family I had left after Mikey died. My parents are in Italy pretending this never happened. Ted never understood. I don't know."

Tony nodded. He had known Mikey his entire life. He remembered the first time Mikey called him to tell him about the way cocaine made him feel and he remembered the last time he talked to Mikey about quitting the drug that so quickly ruined his friend's life. "I get it. I am going to go ahead and go downstairs though. You probably want to get cleaned up for mass. I know how much you miss him…believe me I do."

Kate was surprised by how distant Tony seemed when she got downstairs and sat next to him on the couch. She wasn't sure whether it was something she had done or not. Was he regretting kissing her? She noticed that when he looked at Adrianna his eyes weren't so cold anymore. She tried not to think about the situation because she knew if she did she would get too worked up. She didn't say a word to Tony until they got into the SUV and were on their way to mass. "Are you okay Tony?"

"Adrianna told me why she came here for Christmas. Why she wanted to spend it with my family. Nearly ten years ago her brother overdosed. It was like a scene straight from Less Than Zero. He was going to film school in New York. Everything was on course for him. Then he tried to cocaine. Then he became addicted to cocaine. Then he failed out of film school. Then he moved back home and promised to go to rehab after the holidays were over. Then he went out and partied for what he said would be the last time. Then on Christmas morning Adrianna found him dead in a living room chair a bloody towel on the floor next to him. Her family doesn't celebrate Christmas anymore. I had sort of made a point to not think about Mikey anymore. I didn't want to dwell on it. She needed to be here because she needed to be with someone who didn't think she was crazy for not being over the day her brother died." Tony explained to Kate. He didn't mean to explain it all but as soon as he started talking about Mikey he couldn't stop. It had been so long since he had even thought about his dead best friend. The year after Mikey died was the year his football career ended. It was the year that she dumped him. He didn't have time to dwell on the past that year. After that his life changed. It was like he got past it but Adrianna never did. "He was her twin Kate. Her twin brother."

Kate wasn't sure what to say. She had seen the movie Less Than Zero once in high school. She vaguely remembered the plot. She knew it was about people being addicted to cocaine. She knew Robert Downey Jr. died but other than that she had no clue. She gently placed her hand over his. That was all she could think of. "I'm sorry Tony. I can't imagine ever going through something so tragic."

"Yeah well I think it's harder on her now because she can't have kids. She basically has no family left in the world. Her parents are just shells of people now. They lack a soul. My family always took care of her. You know?" Tony had never in a million years thought he would have forgiven her for leaving him the way she did. He guessed that it was healthier this way. "Don't mistake my not hating her to mean that I want to get back with her. I like this. I like us."

"So do I Tony." She kissed him softly on the cheek. "You realize this means that we are going to have to break rule number eight."

"I thought it was rule number eleven."

Kate shrugged. "Whatever number it is doesn't really matter it's the rule itself that matters. Gibbs isn't going to like this."

"No I think Gibbs is going to love this." Tony replied. "Abby is going to throw a parade when she finds out that we have finally gone from platonic to romantic."

"I wonder what Gibbs said when he found out that her and McGee were breaking rule eight/eleven."

Tony laughed. "I bet you he didn't say anything he just sort of raised his eyebrows and nodded. You know one of those Gibbs gestures that only Gibbs can't turn into a form of communication."

Kate smiled. "I think you are definitely right."

Tony parked his car and sighed. He had been attending this church since he could remember. It was right over the Massachusetts border and it was more like a cathedral than an ordinary church. He loved the stain glass windows. Robbie had actually been an altar boy at this church. He got out of the car and opened the passenger side door for Kate.

"Wow. Everything is so massive up here." Kate was sort of stunned by the size of the building. It was very beautiful and European if that made sense.

Tony laughed. "Wait till you see the inside. Still I could say the same thing about you not the massive part but the wow part."

Kate looked down at herself. "You think?"

"I know. Which is why I want you to wear my suit jacket because in that dress you offer me too many chances to have impure thoughts in church." Tony sort of half joked. For the most part he was serious. See he was convinced that Father Giocoso could tell if you were thinking dirty thoughts in church. He didn't want to have to deal with a disgusted padre on the night honoring Christ's birth.

Kate gently hit his chest. She allowed him to help her into his jacket. She loved the way it smelled it was a mix of Italian food and cool water. "Well then what am I going to do to keep me from thinking those kinds of things about you."

"I don't know but I wouldn't risk it because Father Giocoso is on top of those things. He'll totally catch you in the act. The man is omnipotent." Tony joked as he wrapped his arm around her waist. He smiled and said hello to people as they made their way to the front of the church where his family was sitting.

Kate whispered quietly. "Do you really know all of these people?"

"Sure and one day you will too."

Okay so that was the update. I watched Less Than Zero twice this weekend and I felt like suddenly giving Adrianna a coke addicted dead twin brother. I know that is a terribly offensive sentence. Thank you for reading. I didn't mean to take so long to update. Life just sort of got hectic. Review please. All of them totally make me smile.


	7. Chapter Seven

Sorry it took so long to update. Hope you like it.

She watched him as he made his way from the bathroom to their bed. He was only wearing his boxers. She had forgotten how amazing his body was. His abs were driving her crazy. She smiled as he sat down next door and gently ran his fingertips over her shoulders. She shivered slightly. It was driving her wild. She looked up at him and bit her lip. It had been a long time since she had been intimate with someone.

He gently kissed her lips and simply laid there in bed with her. He didn't want to do anything more than just lay there with her and listen to her breath. He never thought he find love like this again after Adrianna. Even Adrianna had admitted to him that there was something amazing about Kate while they were standing in line to wish Father Giocoso a Merry Christmas. It wasn't like him to just want to be close to a girl without well being naked. Her skin was so soft to touch.

Kate noticed the scar on Tony's knee. She gently traced the healed wound. She could see where they had stitched it up. "Does it hurt still?" She whispered not wanting to ruin the tranquility of the moment.

He looked down at his knee and cringed not because it hurt but because it reminded him of pain. "Sometimes when it's really cold it acts up."

She nodded. "How much rehab did you have to do?"

"To walk it took two months. To jog it took a month. To run it took another two months. So five months to go back to normal. I still could never play on it the same. I was always so worried that I injure it again." Tony admitted. He could have gone back to football but he had so scared. Even though he'd learned to deal with his injury he was never the same afterwards.

She knew he was probably still sad about the way things had turned out. She couldn't imagine being headed for a career as a professional football player only to have it taken away in the blink of an eye. She wondered if her asking these questions bothered him. "Am I upsetting you?" The words came out slowly.

Tony looked down at her and smiled a little as he shook his head no. "You know right after it happened they rushed me to the hospital to have it looked at. I remember sitting there in the hospital exam room when she walked in. Adrianna looked so scared. It made me even more scared than I already was. I remember trying to feel my knee but not really being able to concentrate on moving because of the pain. You know she may not have been there afterwards but she was there that day. She held my hand. She told me everything would be okay. She told me that I was so much more than a football player. It was the first time I needed her like she had needed me in the past. It was almost surreal." Tony paused. He let out a ragged breath. He hated thought about that day in so long. "When she broke up with me I wasn't surprised. I knew she needed to stick to the plan .I knew life had thrown her too many obstacles already."

"I still don't like her for what she did to you but I do feel bad for her. I couldn't imagine losing my family. Losing the future I had planned on carrying out. Losing the hope that one day I would be able to create a new family for myself. And then on top of all that losing the husband that was supposed to help me carry out the plan I had always believed in." Kate hadn't noticed the sad look in Adrianna's eyes until after she found out about her brother.

Tony squeezed her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "I don't want you to think I miss her. Adrianna and I will never be able to be together again. We lost too much. There is too much bitterness on my part and even hers probably."

"Why would she be bitter? You did nothing but love her." Kate couldn't think of anything more absurd than Adrianna blaming Tony for something.

Tony bit his lip. He was trying to think of the right words. He took a deep breath and then closed his eyes to think for a moment. "I turned my back on her after we broke up. She called me sometimes more than likely to try and get back together but I never answered the phone and I never called her back. If anything I forced her to move. Not only that I am the reason the only family she really had left in this world turned on her. I don't want you to hate her because I think she already hates herself enough as it is."

Kate nodded slowly. "Okay I'll be nice. As long as she realizes that you're my man. If she doesn't I'll have to go medieval on her ass."

Tony laughed. Kate was so silly sometimes. He was so lucky that she felt the same way about him as he did about her. "So is there anything I should know about? I mean I feel like you know so much about me now but I know so little about you."

She smiled and shrugged. Her life and her past were nowhere nearly as interesting as his. "Well I have a sister too but unlike yours she's a total bitch. She lives in California with her perfect software designer husband her two perfect kids. She's a homemaker. She hates the term "housewife". I was never close to my parents as a kid. My family is originally from Texas. I dated a professional bull rider when I was in high school. He's currently ranked number two in the nation. I was a debutante. I graduated from Texas A&M. That's about it."

Tony started to laugh uncontrollably.

"What?"

Tony smiled and finally stopped laughing. "Nothing it's just have you ever seen the movie Eight Seconds?"

"I am from Texas. I did date a bull rider. So of course I have seen Eight Seconds. Why?"

Tony shrugged. "I just was wondering if your debutante ball was like the wedding reception in that movie."

She punched him playfully in the arm. Northerners could be so gullible. They had no clue what it was to be from Texas. "No it was not a hoedown. We do have class you know. I mean boys did wear wranglers and black Stetsons but it wasn't like there was hay on the floor and we ate watermelon and barbeque. That is like me asking if your father is a money launderer just because you're Italian."

"I'm sorry I've just never been to Texas before. At least I didn't ask if your father was a cowboy."

Kate couldn't help but laugh at him. "My dad actually is a cowboy. Well not in the cowboys and Indians sense. More like he's a rancher. My parents own four hundred acres. But seriously you've never been to Texas?"

"Nope, but I have been to Florida."

Kate shook her head. "Well Florida is nothing like Texas. Maybe next year we can do Thanksgiving at my family's ranch and Christmas here in Greenwich?"

Tony smiled. He liked that idea. He liked it a lot. It was refreshing to actually think of the future with someone. Normally he struggled to commit to a second date let alone a date next year. "That sounds like a plan. Will your parents like me? I'm not a software engineer but I am the heir a lot of money."

Kate looked at him for a moment. "My parents won't know what to make of you, but yeah they will like you." Kate said and then kissed him softly at first but then the kiss became more and more passionate. They kept kissing until finally they needed to part because they needed to breath.

"I love you Kate. Thank you for coming with me this year." Tony said softly. He wondered if it was too early for him to be professing his love to her.

Kate felt her heart skip a beat. She couldn't help but feel all warm and snuggly inside. "I love too Tony." The truth was spending Christmas with Tony had been the best impulsive decision she had ever made.

THE END! Maybe I'll do a sequel Thanksgiving With Kate. I haven't decided yet. Thank you for reading. Please REVIEW!


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